Meeting in New Jersey
by SamanthaKathy
Summary: It's not until Steve's half a mile away from his father's house, toolbox securely in his hand, that he realizes he knows Detective Williams.


**Author's note: originally published 20 August 2011 on AO3. Written for the prompt: Steve/Danny(any rating), Steve and Danny meet in Jersey prior to Danny moving to Hawaii to be with Grace. this can be any time frame, years before he moves, months, whatever floats your boat. Prompt by spikeslilbit.**

**Didn't get to the Steve/Danny part of it, but I did detail the first meeting. And hey, there's potential for all those who want to see it.**

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It's not until Steve's half a mile away from his father's house, toolbox securely in his hand, that he realizes he _knows_ Detective Williams. In a sudden onslaught of the past Steve remembers. He'd been on leave and wanted to blow off some steam, but women weren't going to cut it. Not this time. And so he'd found himself in a seedy little gay bar, far away from the glittering gay district of Newark, so he could claim to have stumbled in accidentally if someone saw him.

With a beer in hand Steve surveyed the bar. It was still early and he suspected it would get busier later on. But more people meant more witnesses and Steve tried to avoid that. Better to pick someone up now it was still relatively quiet and retreat to the anonymity of a motel room that was rented out by the hour. Unfortunately there was nobody that caught his eye.

No, scratch that, Steve thought as a man came through the door. Washed out jeans, simple white shirt, sleeves rolled up, blond hair and striking blue eyes. Oh yes, Steve could go for him. The guy looked around once before making his way to the bar. He settled in next to Steve after requesting a beer. Steve would feel flattered that the guy had chosen to sit next to him even though there were plenty of empty seats at the bar, if it weren't for the fact that his attention was focused on a group of men sitting in one of the booths. Irrationally jealous, Steve tried to figure out which of the men had drawn his attention, just as a fifth man joined them. All of them were handsome, the last one to arrive the most. Definitely of Italian descend, and nothing like Steve.

"You military or ex-military?" the guy next to him suddenly asked.

Steve couldn't help but tense at the unexpected question. His tongue couldn't seem to form any words and he had to breath deep in order to shove the instinctual panic of discovery down. Panic made you do stupid things and if Steve wanted to save his career he couldn't afford stupid. The man's eyes had never left the men in the booth, as far as Steve could tell, but obviously he'd noticed Steve's reaction.

"Military," the man said, no doubt in his voice. "Which means you should get out of here, right now."

For a moment, the man turned his eyes to Steve and the seriousness, the warning in them, made Steve slide a bill to the barman to pay for his beer. He walked out without looking as if he was hurrying, because hurrying drew attention. He had no idea what was going on, but the warning was legitimate. Curious, Steve crossed to the other side of the street and slipped into the shadows, watching the bar.

Five minutes later, Steve had his answer as to why he'd needed to leave. SWAT was all around the building and on a signal he couldn't see, they barged into the bar. Steve wasn't surprised to see the men in the booth coming out in handcuffs, nor to see the man that had warned him coming out and amicably talking to the officers on site. He was a cop and that fifth man had been their main target. When he'd come in, they'd gone in on the cop's signal. Only the cop had given Steve time to get out of there. If he'd been in there, there would have been interviews, statements, and discovery. Being found in a gay bar would have ended his career, even if he'd managed to keep his job. Steve knew it and the cop had known it. Known it and protected him.

It was only now that Steve knows who the cop had been. It were the eyes that had given him away, but it hadn't hit him until now. Detective Danny Williams had saved his career by warning him all those years ago. Decision made, Steve pulls his cell phone out and calls for a cab. He'd go to the precinct, and then to Detective Williams. He'd need a partner in this, someone to watch his back. And Danny Williams was just the man.


End file.
